Anas Sarwar confirms probe after Scottish Labour MP’s husband accused of spying for China

David Taylor, the husband of East Kilbride and Strathaven MP Joani Reid, and two other men were arrested by counter-terrorism officers at addresses in London and Wales on Wednesday.

After he was arrested, the Scottish Labour MP released a statement saying she had “never seen anything to make me suspect my husband has broken any law”. Ms Reid added: “I am not part of my husband’s business activities.”

Maryam Zakir-Hussain5 March 2026 15:45

‘We paid £1,500 for a disco bus to escape Dubai for Heathrow flight out of Middle East’

A British couple paid £1,500 to be driven hundreds of miles across the Middle East in a “disco bus” to board a flight to London from Oman to escape escalating war in the region.

Among the passengers were consultants Sarah, 54, and Ed Short, 58, from Kent, who were met by emotional family members as they arrived back in the UK.

The couple had been on holiday in Dubai and were due to leave the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Saturday, but their plane home was grounded when airspace closed due to the ongoing US-Israeli war with Iran, which has seen Gulf nations hit with missile strikes.

Maryam Zakir-Hussain5 March 2026 15:29

Iran’s succession: Who will rise out of the ashes of Trump’s war?

It is not an exaggeration to say the last few days in the Middle East have marked a paradigm shift for the region and, frankly, the world, Bel Trew writes.

Maryam Zakir-Hussain5 March 2026 15:16

Ed Miliband ‘confident’ in country’s energy supply despite conflict in Middle East

Ed Miliband has said he is confident the country’s energy supply is robust despite the conflict in the Middle East disrupting oil and gas shipping lanes.

The energy secretary defended the government’s policy not to allow new North Sea exploration licences, and said they would not make any difference to energy bill.

Mr Miliband said more green energy would solidify the country’s energy supplies, meaning the UK is less reliant on other countries.

He also said it would futureproof the UK against economic shocks, as he attributed half of the recessions of the last 50 years to fossil fuel price crises.

It comes as the conflict in Iran has seen shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, which links the Gulf to the Arabian Sea, “significantly” reduce due to attacks.

About a fifth of all global oil and LNG (liquefied natural gas) passes through the strait.

(PA Wire)

Maryam Zakir-Hussain5 March 2026 15:01

More charter flights from Oman to come this week, PM says

The government’s delayed first charter plane to evacuate British nationals from the Middle East has finally taken off, while British Airways has announced it will operate a further rescue flight.

Sir Keir Starmer said at 2.11pm on Thursday that the flight – scheduled to leave Muscat, the capital of Oman, at 7pm on Wednesday – departed “a few minutes ago”.

British Airways said it will run a fourth daily flight from Muscat to London Heathrow – a route it does not usually serve – departing at 10.30pm GMT on Saturday.

Sir Keir said: “We will lay on additional charter flights in the coming days.

“British Airways is putting on daily flights from Oman, and we will keep working with all of our partners to increase the speed and capacity of this airlift.

“I want to be very clear, this is a huge undertaking.

“It’s one of the biggest operations of its kind, many times bigger than the evacuation from Afghanistan.

“It’s not going to happen overnight, but we will not stop until our people are safe.”

More than 140,000 Britons have registered their presence in the Middle East with the Foreign Office.

Maryam Zakir-Hussain5 March 2026 14:48

Starmer set out timeline for when US government requested to use British bases

The prime minister has set out the timeline for when the US government requested to use British bases.

Responding to questions from reporters, Sir Keir Starmer said: “No request from the US came in the specific terms that we acceded until Saturday afternoon, therefore, on Friday, there was no concrete decision to be made.

“A decision had to be made when we had the request, that came in on Saturday during the course of the afternoon – we were already taking measures in relation to our own capability – that came in on Saturday afternoon, late in the afternoon.

“We then, as you would have expected, went through the details with the US over the next day, and ultimately reached a decision on Sunday, which I announced then on Sunday evening, about eight or nine o’clock.

“But actually, on Friday, we didn’t have a request from the United States, and therefore no decision fell to be made.

“Decision fell to be made when we had the request, that was Saturday afternoon. We then worked it through, which was a decision of all ministers, unanimous that we should take the action that I then announced.”

Maryam Zakir-Hussain5 March 2026 14:42

Watch: Britain will ‘stand by values’ despite ‘pressure to do otherwise’, says Starmer

Britain will ‘stand by values’ despite ‘pressure to do otherwise’, says Starmer

Maryam Zakir-Hussain5 March 2026 14:37

Starmer lists how ‘special relationship’ with US is still operating

Sir Keir Starmer insisted the “special relationship is in operation right now” after Donald Trump’s rebuke, adding that he respected the US president taking decisions which “he considers in the national interest” of America.

The prime minister said the last time he had spoken to Mr Trump was on Saturday evening.

Asked whether the US president was right to suggest Sir Keir was spoiling the special relationship, the prime minister said: “Look, the special relationship is in operation right now.

“We’re working with the Americans in the deployment from our bases. We are working together in the region, the US and the British, working together to protect both the US and the British in joint bases where we’re jointly located, and we’re sharing intelligence on 24/7 basis in the usual way.

“That is the special relationship. That is a special relationship in operation, and clearly, it’s for the president to take decisions that he considers in the national interest the right decisions for the US.

“I understand that, I respect that, but equally, it’s for me as the British prime minister to take decisions that I consider to be in the best interest of the United Kingdom.

“There’s nothing controversial about that. The special relationship is operating right here at an important point.”

Maryam Zakir-Hussain5 March 2026 14:36

Starmer brushes off reports of Cabinet revolt over Trump’s initial strikes

Political reporter Athena Stavrou reports:

Sir Keir Starmer has brushed off reports that he faced a cabinet revolt over the initial US strikes on Iran.

Reports in The Spectator suggested that Ed Miliband, Rachel Reeves and Yvette Cooper strongly opposed British support for US military action in Iran during a meeting on Friday.

Speaking during a press conference on Thursday, the prime minister said: “No request from the US came in the specific terms until Saturday afternoon…on Friday there was no concrete decision to be made.”

Maryam Zakir-Hussain5 March 2026 14:31

Starmer hasn’t spoken to Trump since Saturday evening

The prime minister has said he has not spoken to Donald Trump since the weekend.

When questioned if he has spoken to the US president since Trump’s critical comments about the PM- notably stating he is “no Churchill”, Sir Keir said their last conversation was on Saturday evening.

Since this conversation, Trump has said he is “surprised” by the UK’s response to the conflict, saying the UK “has not been so helpful”.

He added: “I never thought I’d see that. I never thought I’d see that from the UK.”

(AP)

Maryam Zakir-Hussain5 March 2026 14:30